Bess feeling sense of pride after Guyana’s 12-medal haul at CAC

By Timothy Jaikarran

Keavon Bess, President of the Guyana Bodybuilding Fitness Federation (GBBFF), has been consistently showering Team Guyana with praise for copping 12 medals at the CAC Bodybuilding Championships held in Barbados. He noted that, for him, seeing the Golden Arrowhead being lifted as the athletes collected their medals evoked in him nothing short of the highest level of pride.

Bess noted that for him it was nothing short of patriotic zeal as he heard the National Anthem being played while the athletes collected their medals. “This came out from seeing the Golden Arrowhead being lifted, and hearing the words of the National Anthem: ‘Dear Land of Guyana’, and even persons standing with respect, and even to the athletes on stage.
“It was definitely a proud moment, the Guyana Anthem was played five times in Barbados, which means that on five occasions, everyone paused and paid respect to Guyana. Guyana was on display as a result of the tremendous accomplishment of our athletes, so it was definitely a good feeling for myself and Videsh Sookram, the Organizing Secretary, who was there on behalf of the federation, and every athlete who attended,” Bess stated.

The GBBFF head relayed that a lot of positives were taken away from the competition; however, the one that stood out the most to him was the strides that Guyana has made on the bodybuilding stage regionally and internationally.
He explained that, for many years, Hugh Ross had represented Guyana well, but for our athletes to go to a single event and capture so many medals and dominate the competition is, without doubt, leaving an indelible mark on Bajan soil.

He also said, “We could have been seen, we could have been heard, and when we went on stage, we dominated. So, at no point in time were we not part of what was happening. And we can definitely say that we didn’t go to make up space, we went to compete, and compete we did, and the medals speak for themselves. So, all in all, what I take away from the competition is that we can go on the international scene and dominate in large numbers.”
In terms of what is next on the agenda, the GBBFF is preparing for the Seniors competition, which will be held in December. Before that event, the GBBFF will be seeking to put together an inter-gym competition in Essequibo.
Bess further relayed that, in between the competitions, the GBBFF will be hosting fundraisers as they aim to get Rosanna Fung on the Worlds Championship in South Korea, come October 2022.
Bess closed by saying, “So there is a lot more before the year comes to an end for bodybuilding in Guyana, and I think we have started the year great, and so far we are going great, and I know we are going to finish with a bang.”